Benzimidazolium compounds



3,322,784 BENZIMIDAZOLIUM COMPOUNDS Reinhard Molar, Offenbach (Main), and Rolf Bender, Ohertshausen, near Ofienbach, Germany, assignors to Farbwerke Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft vormals Meister Lucius & Briining, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, a corporation of Germany No Drawing. Filed Dec. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 416,921 Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 13, 1963,

F 41,530; Oct. 23, 1964, F 44,294 6 Claims. (Cl. 260309.2)

The present invention relates to new benzimidazolium compounds and to a process for preparing them; in particular, it relates to benzimidazolium compounds of the general formula wherein R represents a halogen atom, an alkyl or alkoxy group, R represents an alkyl radical, R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl, aralkyl or aryl radical, R represents an alkyl or aralkyl radical, and X represents an anion.

Now we have found that benzimidazolium compounds of the general Formula 1 in which R, R and R are defined as above, with quaternizing agents and, if desired, converting the quaternary compounds obtained into their complex compounds.

The quaternization is effected in the presence or in the absence of solvents, at a temperature within the range to 200 C. approximately, preferably from about 30 to 150 C., and, if desired, under increased pressure.

As quarterniz-ing agents there may be used, above all, dialkyl-sulfates, such as, for example, dimethylor diethyl sulfate, benzeneor toluene sulfonic acid esters, as for example the methyl-, ethyl-, propylor b-utyl-esters, alkylhalides, such as, for example, methyl-, ethyl-, propylor butylor a higher alkylchloride, bromide or iodide, or aralkylhalides, as for example benzylchloride or benzylbromide.

The process of the present invention may be carried out in solvents, for example in alcohols such as methylor ethylalcohol, in esters, as for example in methyl-, ethyl-, propylor butylester of acetic acid, in et-hers, for example diethy1-, dipropylor dibutylether, ethylgylcol, diethylgylcol or anisol, in ketones, such as acetone or methyl- 3,322,784 Patented May 30, 1967 ethylketone, or in aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbons or. chlorohydrocarbons, such as chloroform, benzene, toluene, xylene, or chlorobenzene. It is also possible to use the quaternizing agents as solvents. In this case, for example, when using lower alkylhalides, the process is advantageously carried out in pressure vessels.

The quaternary methylsulfates can be prepared, for example, by dissolving 1 mole equivalent of the corresponding benzimidazole compound of Formula 2 in a hydrocarbon, for example in toluene, in the heat, and adding, drop by drop, 1 mole equivalent of dimethyl sulfate. The separation of the quaternary methyl compound of Formula 1 (R CH X- CH SO in the form of crystals is accompanied by evolution of heat. When the reaction is terminated the methyl-sulfates of the quaternary compounds can be isolated by filtration in an almost quantitative yield. In the majority of cases the compounds dissolve readily in water, with a neutral reaction, and can be recrystallized for example in hot ethylalcohol. B ymeans of diazotization the primary amino group is detectable in a quantitative yield.

For conversion into a more difiicultly soluble complex compound, for example into a zinc chloride double salt, zinc chloride can be added to a solution of methysulfate in water or in alcohol, for example in methyl alcohol or in ethyl alcohol, and the precipitated complex compound can be separated by filtration. These complex compounds are mode difiicultly soluble in solvents containing hydroxyl groups than the methylsulfates and are also diazotized without difiiculty.

The benzimidazolium compounds obtainable according to the process of the invention have partly fungicidal or bacteriostatic properties and may be used, for example, as disinfectants. Moreover, they are suitable as textile auxiliaries or intermediate products for the preparation of textile auxiliaries or dyestulfs.

The benzirnidazoles of Formula 2 used as starting materials are obtained, for example, by reaction of l-alkylamino-2,G-diaminobenzenes, which are substituted in 4- position by a halogen atom, an alkyl group, or an alkoxy group, with aliphatic carboxylic acids.

The following examples serve to illustrate the invention but they are not intended to limit it thereto, the parts being by weight unless otherwise stated.

Example 1 181.5 parts of 5-chloro-7-amino-l-methylbenzimidazole are dissolved at about C. in 1,500 parts by volume of chlorobenzene. In the course of about 30 minutes, 126 parts of dimethylsulfate are added with stirring and the temperature is kept between 100 and C. A colorless crystalline precipitate separates immediately. After the addition of the dimethylsulfate stirring is continued for another hour, then the crystals formed are filtered with suction and washed with a small amount of chlorobenzene. After drying at 60 to 80 C., 300 to 305 parts of 5-chloro-7-amino-1,3-dimethylbenzimidazolium-methyl-sulfate of the following formula NH, E

C-H CHaOSOa" are obtained in the form of crystals which melt at 179 C. and dissolve readily and with an almost neutral reaction in water.

In order to convert the methylsulfate into the zinc chloride complex compound it is dissolved in warm water and zinc chloride is added to the solution until the precipitation ceases. The zinc chloride double salt is difficultly soluble in cold water or in cold methylalcohol and forms a White crystalline powder melting at 235242 C.

The following table contains a number of further compounds corresponding to Formula 1, which can be obtained according to the process of the present invention:

R R1 R2 R3 X Melting point C.

01.... CH3..-- Tl Ca -l5 C2H5sOl. 15910 161. Cl- CH H C 11 ZnCla 276 to 278. Cl CzH5 H CI-I CI'I3SO4 230 to 323. Cl C2115... CH3" CH3 CH SOJ 218 to 220. C1. C2H H CQHa ZnCls 186 to 188. Cl. C2H5 021-15 C2H5SO4 192 O 194. C1. C411 CH3 CH3SO4. 180 to 182. Cl. C4119 (32115 02115504.... 155 t 158. Cl. (3 1 17..-- CzHs C2H5SO4... 123 CO 125. .C1 CQHL.-. H CH3. ZnCl3 171 110 176. CL". 011 H C 2H2 Br Example 2 which melts after recrystallization in ethylalcohol at 204-208 C. and dissolves readily in cold water.

CI-IuOSOr Example 3 121 parts of 1,5-dimethyl-7-aminobenzimidazole are dissolved in 1,000 parts by volume of benzene. During 15 minutes, 126 parts of dimethylsulfate are dropped into the solution at boiling temperature. After about 4 hours the pale precipitate which has separated is filtered with suction, washed with a small amount of benzene, and dried at 60 C. The yield amounts to 250 parts of 1,3,5- trimethyl-7-aminobenzimidazolium-methylsulfate of the following formula e11 omosor When dissolved in water, the product gives a clear solution. After recrystallization in ethylaleohol it melts at 175 to 178 C.

When using instead of 126 parts of dimethylsulfate 155 parts of diethylsulfate, 280 parts of 1,5-din1ethyl-3- ethyl-7-aminobenzimidazolium-ethylsulfate of the following formula NHZ ([3113 CHzCHzO S O s are obtained, which, after recrystallization in ethyl-alcohol, melt at -162 C.

Example 4 parts of 1-ethyl-5-methyl-7-aminobenzimidazole are dissolved in 1,000 parts by volume of chloroform and mixed at 60 C. with 155 parts of diethylsulfate. The quaternary product separates in the form of a syrup. The chloroform is distilled off by means of steam, and the zinc chloride double salt of the 1,3-diethyl-5-methyl-7- aminobenzimidazoliumcation of the following formula is precipitated by addition of an aqueous solution of zinc chloride. A white crystalline powder is formed; the yield amounts to 275 parts.

The zinc chloride double salts of the following benzimidazolium compounds of Formula 1 can be prepared in analogous manner.

wherein R represents chlorine, methyl, ethyl and methoxy, R represents alkyl containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms and R represents alkyl containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms and X stands for a ZnCl alkylsulfate, sulfate, or arylsulfonic acid anion.

2. The compound of the formula NIT: (7H3 i r C113 3. The compound of the formula CH CIIiOSOr NHz (3113 4. The compound of the formula CIlaOS O s- 5. The compound of the formula NH, E

OI-I 0211 0803- 6. The compound of the formula GIL;

OH CHaOS 03 6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bambcrger ct a1.: Chemical Abstracts, vol. 56, col.

Chemical Abstracts, vol. 57, col. 14,623 (1962).

Hollinshead et al.: Jour. Pharm. Exper. Therpeut, vol.

16 123, p. 56 relied on (1958).

Hoover et al.: Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc., vol. 77, pp.

Simpson: Jour. Chem. Soc. (London), 1946, pp. 947.

20 WALTER A. MODANCE, Prim'ary Examiner JOHN D. RANDOLPH, Examiner. NATALIE TROUSOF, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA 